Of Mice and Men: Journey to their American Dream Essay

Achieving the American dream is possible, but the price to get there may be more than most can handle. In Of Mice and Men John Steinbeck shows threw different choices of settings the difficulties of achieving such a dream. George and Lenny, long time friends since childhood have the dream of owning and working there own land. They travel from town to town looking for labor trying to save up enough money. Yet everywhere they go it seems trouble either follows or finds them. The American dream is known by most but achieved by few. Gradually over the years the American dream has become the main staple for up and coming families. Both men and woman strive to have the white picket fence in a private town, near work, and with a good school district. Though many live from paycheck to paycheck portraying as if they have the american dream when in reality its all just an illusion. Young people are greatly influenced by family, friends, and the media. At a young age many are told to go to college, get a good job, and to become successful. It is drilled into the young that owning property and making life as comfortable as possible is the way to go. So this is what we work so hard for, never stopping on our quest to achieve the almost unachievable. Lennie and George’s vision of the American dream is simply owning their very own land. Threw out the book it is implied that you are a respected member of society if you own land and stay in one place. Yet Lennie and George go from town to town working hard trying to make enough money to buy land but never actually stay in one place for enough time to actually settle in one spot and buy it. If they were to have land ownership they would have the pride and respect they always wanted. In their eyes the dream means â€Å"independence and self-sufficiancy, the freedom that comes from owning land. which in turn means enjoying the fruits of one’s own labor.†-( Johnson[->0] 140) Society plays a big role in achieving the dream. Being on the outskirts of society is hard enough along with Lennie always sturring up accidental trouble, society brands them outsiders, unusual, and not safe. Usually they are run out of town by the towns people and not given a chance to save up enough money to be able to by land let alone find land to purchase. After a few times of this happening moral goes down and the dream seems farther and farther away. The migrant life and its effects can take a toll. They searched for casual work wherever they can find it. George and Lennie are known as † seasonal or casual workers, who went from job to job in africulture, industry, or construction.†- (Johnson[->1] 100). Usually they do hard labor that pays very little and don’t stay long enough to get comfortable. This leaves them feeling unwanted and mistreated. Many of the people they work with treat them like they are inconsequential. They are only wanted to do they hard labor no one else would do. Seen to be too weak to even come close to the American dream. Curly’s wife looks at them and rudely says † they left all the weak ones here.†- (Steinbeck). Curly’s wife has some dreams of her own as well. She wished to be a Hollywood actress but can’t beome one because Curly is so protective of her and doesn’t allow her to do anything. If she wants to make her dream come true she would have to leave Curly and all that she is familiar with behind. This would be a difficult and life changing decision not to be taken lightly (â€Å"Mice†). Discrimination is shown often throughout this book, against anyone who is different. Many times they are discriminated against because of their being drifters an not of a certain social standing. Lennie is mentally handicapped and most times his curious and playful side can become dangerous. He likes to touch pretty and soft things but in doing this without thinking others become frightened and disturbed by such a large burly man approaching them and not letting go. Because of this Lennie is constantly called stupid or a fool even by George at times. George is looked at as a fool for befriending someone like that. This deprives them of the hope they need to continue to work hard and reach their goals. George expresses this when he says, â€Å"I seen the guys that go around on the †¦ ranches alone. That ain’t no good. They don’t have no fun. After a long time they get mean. They get wantin’ to fight all the time.†(Steinbeck.17) A black man’s perspective can be much the same as a migrants. Even Curly, a black worker, wants to make it for himself but is constantly put down and disparaged because he is black and handicapped. With the mindset of being dumb, stupid and not good enough no one can move forward or accomplish anything. In the beginning and ending of the book Steinbeck uses symbolism in the largeness of the mountains compared to the smallness of George and Lennie showing the contrast between them and their dream (J.Hinds 152). Many ask the question can the American dream really be had? George is not very optimistic about starting up new in another town and in that mindset finds that the worst does happen. George is forced to kill Lennie, in this he possibly realizes this is the only way to achieve his dream of owning land even if it hurts him to do this. George had always felt a certain obligation to sticking with Lennie shown when he says, â€Å"I ain’t got no people†¦. ‘Course Lennie’s a God damn nuisance most of the time, but you get used to goin’ around with a guy an’ you can’t get rid of him.† (Steinbeck 45). In this case George killing Lennie was the only way for either of them to obtain their American dream. â€Å"Of Mice and Men and The American Dream.† 123HelpMe.com. 16 May 2012 . [->0] – /Claudia-Durst-Johnson/e/B000APX61U/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1/187-0392986-1780919 [->1] – /Claudia-Durst-Johnson/e/B000APX61U/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1/187-0392986-1780919